Wednesday, May 8, 2019

The Who opened their Moving On! symphonic tour of North America at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI on May 7.

Surviving members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend opened the 2-hour- plus, 23-song evening with eight songs from 1969’s “Tommy” before mixing in classic tracks mid-show and ending with a block from 1973’s “Quadrophenia.”

The trek sees the pair joined by a local symphony orchestra each night of the 29-show series, with The Craig Turley Orchestra conducted by Keith Levenson on hand for opening night.

As Billboard notes, the symphony played on 18 tunes, tastefully blending rock and richness, bolstering the songs with well-fitted layers of sonic shimmer and, when appropriate, bombast.

The Who’s four-song, sans orchestra set late in the concert delivered “The Kids Are Alright,” an acoustic version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, a “Behind Blue Eyes” fortified by touring violinist Katie Jacoby and cellist Audrey Snyder, and an intimate performance of 2006’s “Tea & Sympathy” by Daltrey and Townshend only.

The first leg of the 2019 series will wrap in Toronto, ON on June 1, while a fall trek will start September 6 in St. Paul, MN and conclude on October 23 in Edmonton, AB.